Board of Directors

The VocalEssence Board of Directors serve as ambassadors for the organization in the larger community. They also guide VocalEssence in all major policy decisions while ensuring the financial stability of VocalEssence.

Board Officers

Daniel Fernelius, President
President, Friends of Ngong Road

Valton Henderson, Vice President, Board Affairs Committee Chair
HR and DEI practitioner, Robert Half International

Dan Dressen, Secretary
Retired Associate Provost, St. Olaf College

Kristen Hoeschler O’Brien, Treasurer
Business Management Consultant

Carolina Maranon-Cobos, Past-President
Program Manager, Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota

Timothy C. Takach, Learning & Engagement Committee Chair
Composer

Torrie Allen
President and CEO, Arts Midwest

Philip Brunelle (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Founder and Artistic Director, VocalEssence

Ben Brunnette (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Ensemble Singer Representative, VocalEssence

Ryan French
Managing Director, Children’s Theatre Company

Cassandra Garnett
HR Director Global RD&E & CDS, Ecolab

Brianna Hill (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Chorus Representative, VocalEssence

Novelli Jurado
CEO, Novart Media Group

Daniel Kantor
Composer and Business Developer

Lori Ledoux
K-12 Arts District Content Lead, Minneapolis Public Schools

Lisa Merklin Lewis
Retired Vice President and Chief Counsel of the Employment Law Group in the General Counsel’s Office, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.

Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed
Superintendent, Hopkins Public Schools

Dr. Kristin Morris
Owner and Principal Consultant, Genesis Consulting Services, LLC

Kristine Oberg
Senior Vice-President, Business Banking Segment Strategy, U.S. Bank

Anna Ostroushko
Grants Management Associate, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

G. Phillip Shoultz, III (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Associate Conductor | Director of Learning and Engagement, VocalEssence

Eve Schulte
Dance Artist, Educator, and Administrator

Jeff Smith
Director of Community & Foundation Relations,
The Avinity Foundation – Presbyterian Homes and Services

Bob Thacker
Consultant and Business Advisor

Mary Tjosvold
Owner, Crooners & CEO, Mary T. Inc

Elizabeth Truesdell Smith
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Allina Heath

Amy Jaine Wielunski (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Executive Director, VocalEssence

Lifetime Directors

Ann Barkelew
Ann Buran
Art Kaemmer*
Nikki Lewis
Mike McCarthy*
Dave Mona
Fred Moore
Don Shelby
Dorene Wernke

Honorary Directors

Dominick Argento*
William Bolcom
Dave Brubeck*
Stewart Copeland
Aaron Copland*
Håkan Hagegård
Louise Heffelfinger*
Eskil Hemberg*
Betty Hulings*
Sigrid Johnson*
James Earl Jones*
Garrison Keillor
Sir James MacMillan
Donald Mitchell*
Helmuth Rilling
Sir John Rutter
Peter Schickele*
Dr. André J. Thomas
Eric Whitacre
Roderick Williams OBE
*In remembrance

Board Officers